Toggle switch



April 30, 1957 A. E. sPARR TOGGLE: SWITCH Filed April 11, 1955 INVEN TOR.- A255?? f. SP/WA Arm/mf lTGGLESWIVICH Albert ,EfSparn V,ll/lleadvillve, Pa., assigner-t0 Talon, Inc., ,a corporation, of ,Pennsylvania Application April 11,'11-95'5, Seriali-No.` 5005424 7 Claims. ;(Cl.,2 .0.-f;67)

The linvention lrelates to electric ,switches ,andymore particularly, toa toggle switchofthezso-called Subminiature type.

Various typesof electric `snapswitches vhave been heretofore suggested and used Vwhich .usually .employ a tiltable contactmember. In some switches of this type-the actuating means or tiltable contact member fwith -which it co-operates `oftentimes encountered a dead center position .which was objectionable and interfered with the use and dependableroperation oftheswitch. It is to a means for eliminating thisdead center position -of the switch that the present inventionrelates.`

Accordingly, it is the generalobject of thevpresent invention to provide an improved toggle switch having means incorporated ktherewith for eliminating any kdanger ofthe switch assuminga dead centenposition thereby Vproviding a switch whichis fool proof at. allltimes.

Itis anotherobject of the inventionfto providean-improved toggle switch .which is so .constructed .andarranged that a .snap action willresult ,when theactuating means of the switchis moved totopen or .closethecircuit yand which will insure a good electrical-fcontactwhen in closed position thereby preventing destructive arcing between the contact members.

AIt is a morespeciticobject of this invention ,toprovide el new and novelmeans incorporated ,with 4the actuating means of the switch which acts as a .fulcrum toaidv in urging the tiltable contact member: to `its open and closed position so as to provide a more Ieffective randetlcient switch.

Various other objects `and advantages of this. invention .will be more 4apparent in the course of the following spectication, and-.will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawingathere is ,shown forthe purpose of illustration, one embodiment and gseveralmodi- Iiications thereof, which my invention may` assume in cordance with my invention.

The present invention is .shown incorporated with a toggle switch of the type disclosed in corresponding applications Ser. No. 401,018, filed December 29, 1953, and Ser. No. 440,912, tiled Julyv2, 1954. Such va switch as-disclosed therein consists generally of a rectangularshaped casing 2, preferably made of brass, but which Vmay be made of any suitable moldable material which nited States Patentl 217,790,816? 4ateinted Apr. 30, 1957 ice houses themcvable-fparts of the lswitclnand ywhich. is, open at-bothsides. lfrire-inner end ofthe casing 2 isclosed vbe en largedeatits. inner endA to form a continuous internal shoulderA therearound forpositioning andholding the base .memberthereim Thisenlarged. end of the casing -has an ear portion12 arrangedtherearound, which is clinched `over and,aroundthe.,edge,of the `base 3, to hold thesetwo membersseeurely together. In the basel mem Iber3, thereis larranged-,twocontacts 5 and 6 withone arrangedfat yeach endthereof. Thesecontacts are merely ,rivet-heads having .a ,convex :surface and constituting apartof then'vets 7 4andgti,respectively, `which-extend throughthe basemember. On the-outer'ends ofthese rivets 7 .and belowgthebase 3, ,there is farrangeda pair of ,identical wire `terminal members 9 .and .10 which are held in `place ,by the heads of ythe respective rivets 7 and 8.

Centrally ofthe ,basemember 3, there sarranged on the inner side thereof Vwithin-*the casing 2, a pivot or `fulcrum member ,13 fwhich is 'secured to the base by means of arivet 14 extending therethrough. .On the upper side of the base 3 there is 4secured to the-rivet 14, a :wire lterminal member 15 identical with the wire'termi- Vnal members 9and10. ,This-pivot member 13 has .a pair .of spaced vapart' ,inwardly extending .ange portions 16 Vflange. portions leef the pivot `member `13 are spaced apart.y These V-shapednotches 17 of the Apivotmember 13 arel slightly larger thanthe notches 17 andare provided for apurpose,hereinafter'to be described. There is arranged on the pivot member 13 in the` space between the inwardly extending flangeportions 16 and between the inner ends of V-shaped bearing portions 20 of the contact member I18, akeeper member 36 yhaving spaced apart llangeportions 37 Lfor maintaining the V-shaped earsin positionin the V-shaped notches so as to prevent transverse displacement thereof. This keeper member 36 is also heldin position by the Yrivet 14 which isdisposed in a hole in the `bottom thereof. At'each end of the contact member 1S, there is `arrangedra contact button 21 made of-a highly conductive material, ,such as silver, which engage anddisengage with-the respective contacts Sand 4 6 arranged in the base 3.

On the outersidey of the casing 2, there isarranged an exteriorly-threaded nippleflike member 22, the inner end of which ispositioned in a circular hole in the outer side of the casingrand which is held therein so as to bey secured to the casing by means of an annular flange portion 23. There is arranged within the nipple-like member 22, a lever or handle member 24having a -portion which extends out through a slotted opening 24a in the outer end of this `nipple-like member 22. On the inner endof the lever 24, there is arranged a spherical or bulbous portion Z5 which is disposed within the nipplelike member and bears against and is seated in an arcuate bearing surface 26 within the reduced neck portion at the outer end of the nipple-like member.

In one form of switch in connection with the use of my invention, ,as shown in Figs. l through 5 of the drawings, the lever or handle member 2,4 is axially hollow so as to provide a bore therein and there is arranged therein a compression springl 28 and acylindrical plunger 29 with s the plunger having an arcuate or semi-spherical end portion 3D. Within the nipple-like member 22 at the inner end thereof in one embodiment of my invention, there is arranged a floating pin-like member 31 which extends into the casing 2. One end of this pin-like member 31 has a concavity 32 therein so as to receive and co-operate with the inner arcuate or semi-spherical end portion of the plunger 29. The other or inner end of this pinlike member 31 is arcuate or semi-spherical in shape, as at 33, and seats in a concavity 34 in a disc or button-like member 35 made of an insulating material and which is attached to contact member 18 centrally thereof, as at 27. There is arranged circumferentially around this pinlike member 31 intermediate the length thereof, an enlarged portion in the form of a disk-like or collar portion which is disposed within the lower end of the nipplelike member 22 and which is adapted to co-operate with the inner side walls of this nipple-like `member 22 in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, there is arranged around the pin-like member 31, an annular member 41 having a plurality of outwardly flared resilient finger-like members 42 arranged therearound which are adapted to contact the inner wall of the nipple-like member 22.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing, there is shown another modification of my invention. In this construction, in place of a solid floating pin-like member, there is provided a compression coil spring member 43 having a ball-like portion 44 on one end thereof which is seated in a concavity 45 arranged in the inner end of the operating lever 46. On the oppoiste end of this spring 43 there is arranged a similar ball-like portion 47 which is seated in a concavity 48 arranged in the member 3S carried by the tilttable contact member 18. Intermediate the length of this spring member 43, there is arranged an enlarged convolution 50 which is adapted to bear against the inner wall of the nipple-like member 22 as in the other modifications.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen that there is provided an improved switch having means arranged therewith which will insure a positive action of the tiltable member at all times and eliminating any danger of the actuating means assuming a dead center position. This means also provides a snap action to the switch so as to eliminate drag and arcing which might result between the contact members.

While I have shown and described several embodiments which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these embodiments` are merely for the purpose of illustration and description, and that other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a switch of the class described, a housing, a base attached to said housing having at least a pair of fixed contacts with one arranged at either end thereof, a tilttable contact member arranged in said housing opposite said contacts and having contact means arranged at each end thereof adapted to engage alternately with the respective fixed contacts, current carrying means arranged on said base pivotally supporting said tiltable contact member centrally thereof, a manipulating lever arranged in said housing for actuating said tiltable contact member, a fioating member arranged between the inner end of said manipulating member with one end of said oating member engaging the inner end of said manipulating member and the other end engaging said tiltable contact member centrally thereof, said floating member having an enlarged portion arranged intermedite its length and circumferentially therearound so as to provide a point of contact for said floating member with the inner wall of said housing and which acts as a fulcrum for said floating member whereby a snapping action is effected when the manipulating lever of the switch is actuated.

2. In a switch of the class described, the combination as dened in claim l, wherein the floating member arranged between 'the inner end of the manipulating lever and the center of the tiltable contact member consists of a floating pin-like member having an enlarged angelike portion carried thereby intermediate its length and arranged circumferentially therearound.

3. In a switch of the class described, the combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the iioating member arranged between the inner end of the manipulating lever and the center of the tiltable contact member consists of a iioating pin-like member having an annular member arranged therearound intermediate its length, said annular member having a plurality of outwardly flared finger like members so as to provide an enlarged portion arranged circumferentially around said floating pin-like member.

4. In a switch of the class described, the combination as defined in claim *1, wherein the fioaing member arranged between the inner end of the manipulating lever and the center of the tiltable contact member consists of a iioating compression coil spring-like member having at least one enlarged convolution arranged intermediate its length so as to provide an enlarged portion arranged cireumferentially therearound.

5; In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having at least a pair of fixed contacts with one arranged at opposite ends thereof, a tiltable contact member arranged in said casing having contact means arranged at each end thereof adapted to engage alternately with the respective fixed contacts, current carrying fulcrum means carried by said base pivotally supporting said contact member centrally thereof, actuating means for tilting said contact member including a'manually operated lever having a plunger slidably arranged in a bore therein axially thereof, a spring arranged in said bore for urging said plunger outwardly, and a floating pin-like member arranged within said casing, one end of said pin-like member engaging the outer end of said plunger and the opposite end of said pin-like member engaging said tiltable contact member and said operating lever arranged on said casing, said pin-like member having an enlarged ange-like portion 'carried thereby and arranged intermediate the length thereof, said enlarged portion adapted to contact the inner r side wall of said housing which acts as a fulcrum for said 'pin-like member whereby a snapping action is effected when the operating lever of the switch is actuated.

6. In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base .attached to said casing having at least a pair of fixed contacts with one arranged at opposite ends thereof, a

tiltable contact member arranged in said casing having otally supporting said contact member centrally thereof,

'actuating means for tilting said contact member including a manually operated lever having a plunger slidably arranged in a bore therein axially thereof, a spring ar- 'ranged in said bore for urging said plunger outwardly,

and a floating pin-like member arranged within said cas- .ing, one end of said pin-like member engaging the outer 'end of said plunger and the opposite end of said pinlike member engaging said tiltable contact member cenltrally thereof, and a housing for said pin-like member fand said operating lever arranged on said casing, means arranged circumferentially around said pin-like member intermediate the length thereof so as to provide an enlarged portion which is adapted to contact the inner Wall of said housing and which acts as a fulcrum for said pinlike member whereby a snapping action is effected when -the operating lever of the switch is actuated.

7. In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base i attached to said casing having at least a pair of fixed contacts with one arranged at opposite ends thereof, a :tiltable contact member arranged in said casing having contact means arranged at each end thereof adapted to engage alternately with the respective xed contacts, current carrying fulcrum means carried by said base pivotally supporting said contact member centrally thereof, actuating means for tilting said contact member including a manually operated lever having a plunger slidably arranged in a bore therein axially thereof, a spring arranged in said bore for urging said plunger outwardly, a bulbous bearing portion arranged on the inner end of said lever, a cylindrical housing arranged on said casing for housing said bulbous bearing portion having an arcuate bearing surface carried thereby adjacent the outer end thereof in which said bulbous bearing portion is seated, a oating pin-like member arranged in the inner end of said housing and extending into said casing, one end of said pin-like member engaging the outer end of said plunger and the opposite end thereof engaging said tiltable contact member centrally thereof, convex-concave bearing surfaces arranged on the respective ends of said pin-like member, the plunger and the tiltable contact member, so that the pin-like member will move freely between the plunger and the tiltable contact member when the lever is actuated, and an enlarged portion arranged circumferentially around said pin-like member intermediate the length thereof which is adapted to contact the inner wall of said housing and which acts as a fulcrum for said pin-like member whereby a snapping action is effected when the operating lever of the switch is actuated.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,253 Krieger Apr. 27, 1937 2,248,362 Krieger July 8, 1941 2,377,134 Dietrich May 29, 1945 2,432,647 Batcheller Dec. 16, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 382,870 Great Britain Nov. 3, 1932 752,695 France July 24, 1933 

